Insulting the Supreme Leader
Propaganda against the Islamic Republic regime

Sentence

3 years imprisonment

Status

In prison

Farokh Abdi
In prison

Farokh Abdi is a Kurdish media activist who was the manager of a Telegram channel, Amanj, which focused on covering Urmia news. He was arrested on 10 February 2018.

Farokh Abdi is a Kurdish media activist who was the manager of a Telegram channel, Amanj, which focused on covering Urmia news. The channel stated “Conservation and recognition of Kurdish literature and culture” as its mission statement.

According to another Telegram channel, Human Rights in Kurdistan, Abdi, the manager of Amanj, was charged with “Propaganda against the Regime” and “Defamation of the Supreme Leader” by the 2nd Division of Islamic Revolutionary Court of Urmia. The court found him guilty of both charges and sentenced him to a total of three years in prison - one for propaganda and two for defamation. According to the source, Abdi’s verdict was officially announced to him while he was in Urmia Central Prison.

Kurdpa, a local website also wrote: “Amanj channel manager was arrested on February 10, 2018, in the island of Qeshm, and was sent back to Urmia for interrogation. He was questioned for a month [before he was] transferred to Urmia Central Prison.”